An Economic Study of Farm Organization in the Piney Woods Farming Area of Texas.

51 p

First-Order Contaminant Removal in the Hyporheic Zone of Streams: Physical Insights from a Simple Analytical Model

A simple analytical model is presented for the removal of stream-borne contaminants by hyporheic exchange across duned or rippled streambeds. The model assumes a steady-state balance between contaminant supply from the stream and first-order reaction in the sediment. Hyporheic exchange occurs by bed form pumping, in which water and contaminants flow into bed forms in high-pressure regions (downwelling zones) and out of bed forms in low-pressure regions (upwelling zones). Model-predicted contaminant concentrations are higher in downwelling zones than upwelling zones, reflecting the strong coupling that exists between transport and reaction in these systems. When flow-averaged, the concentration difference across upwelling and downwelling zones drives a net contaminant flux into the sediment bed proportional to the average downwelling velocity. The downwelling velocity is functionally equivalent to a mass transfer coefficient, and can be estimated from stream state variables including stream velocity, bed form geometry, and the hydraulic conductivity and porosity of the sediment. Increasing the mass transfer coefficient increases the fraction of streamwater cycling through the hyporheic zone (per unit length of stream) but also decreases the time contaminants undergo first-order reaction in the sediment. As a consequence, small changes in stream state variables can significantly alter the performance of hyporheic zone treatment systems

MAL2 and tumor protein D52 (TPD52) are frequently overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma, but differentially associated with histological subtype and patient outcome

Background: The four-transmembrane MAL2 protein is frequently overexpressed in breast carcinoma, and MAL2 overexpression is associated with gain of the corresponding locus at chromosome 8q24.12. Independent expression microarray studies predict MAL2 overexpression in ovarian carcinoma, but these had remained unconfirmed. MAL2 binds tumor protein D52 (TPD52), which is frequently overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma, but the clinical significance of MAL2 and TPD52 overexpression was unknown. Methods: Immunohistochemical analyses of MAL2 and TPD52 expression were performed using tissue microarray sections including benign, borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian tumours. Inmmunohistochemical staining intensity and distribution was assessed both visually and digitally. Results: MAL2 and TPD52 were significantly overexpressed in high-grade serous carcinomas compared with serous borderline tumours. MAL2 expression was highest in serous carcinomas relative to other histological subtypes, whereas TPD52 expression was highest in clear cell carcinomas. MAL2 expression was not related to patient survival, however high-level TPD52 staining was significantly associated with improved overall survival in patients with stage III serous ovarian carcinoma (log-rank test, p < 0.001; n = 124) and was an independent predictor of survival in the overall carcinoma cohort (hazard ratio (HR), 0.498; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.728; p < 0.001; n = 221), and in serous carcinomas (HR, 0.440; 95% CI, 0.294-0.658; p < 0.001; n = 182). Conclusions: MAL2 is frequently overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma, and TPD52 overexpression is a favourable independent prognostic marker of potential value in the management of ovarian carcinoma patients.11 page(s

Variable effect of co-infection on the HIV infectivity: Within-host dynamics and epidemiological significance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent studies have implicated viral characteristics in accounting for the variation in the HIV set-point viral load (spVL) observed among individuals. These studies have suggested that the spVL might be a heritable factor. The spVL, however, is not in an absolute equilibrium state; it is frequently perturbed by immune activations generated by co-infections, resulting in a significant amplification of the HIV viral load (VL). Here, we postulated that if the HIV replication capacity were an important determinant of the spVL, it would also determine the effect of co-infection on the VL. Then, we hypothesized that viral factors contribute to the variation of the effect of co-infection and introduce variation among individuals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We developed a within-host deterministic differential equation model to describe the dynamics of HIV and malaria infections, and evaluated the effect of variations in the viral replicative capacity on the VL burden generated by co-infection. These variations were then evaluated at population level by implementing a between-host model in which the relationship between VL and the probability of HIV transmission per sexual contact was used as the within-host and between-host interface.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our within-host results indicated that the combination of parameters generating low spVL were unable to produce a substantial increase in the VL in response to co-infection. Conversely, larger spVL were associated with substantially larger increments in the VL. In accordance, the between-host model indicated that co-infection had a negligible impact in populations where the virus had low replicative capacity, reflected in low spVL. Similarly, the impact of co-infection increased as the spVL of the population increased.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicated that variations in the viral replicative capacity would influence the effect of co-infection on the VL. Therefore, viral factors could play an important role driving several virus-related processes such as the increment of the VL induced by co-infections. These results raise the possibility that biological differences could alter the effect of co-infection and underscore the importance of identifying these factors for the implementation of control interventions focused on co-infection.</p

Blends of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers at the air-water interface

A low molecular weight compound (stearic acid) and an analogous polymer (poly(octadecylmethacrylate) (PODMA) were blended with the polymer PM4 and collapse pressure increased while mean molecular area decreased relative to PM4 alone. The stability of polymer monolayer films can be enhanced by mixing with low molecular weight and polymeric compounds of suitable structure. In the examples shown, stearic acid and PODMA mixtures with PM4 raised the collapse pressure and lowered the collapse area to a value closer to the optimum packing area in the bulk. Comparison of isobaric mean molecular areas versus concentration (below collapse) gives an indication of the type of interaction between the side chains of the polymers analyzed. As opposed to other miscibility tests for bulk polymer blends (such as DSC) this method also visualizes the extent of these interactions, whether they are favorable or unfavorable